What is a "treat" to you?

[Fallenone05]

Wow.
This post got really scientific and complicated, which, as a scientist, I appreciate... . Having a complicated scientific mind is likely the cause of my overthinking this to begin with.

I believe I am feeding a really well balanced and nutritious feed to my flock. I am not worried about that. My chicks (first flock) are only about 7 weeks old, and honestly have only had small amounts of "treats" thus far - mostly just for "recall training." Nothing seems out of balance, and the girls are doing just fine.

Now that I have read through a variety of responses here, I guess what I would ask is this...

I intend to feed my veggie/greens/friut scraps to my chickens, but I would like to maintain balance as best I can, the majority of the time. Do you start with small servings, and work up to a whole cabbage (one example)? Or just go full in on a whole cabbage and see what happens?

I know if I ate a whole cabbage in one sitting, I would likely "not be in balance." So without much chicken experience thus far, I just dont know how to begin introducing "treats" without completely disrupting the balance.

Overthinking myself to the grave, and not apologizing for it, hahaha...

I think cabbage and lettuce is mostly water and can sometimes cause loss of fluid with them pooping more because they have more water in their system. For 7 birds I'd probably only give them a half of one anyway. A whole one seems like a lot.

 

[sals_chicks]

I will also add that I will spend some time learning how to use feedipedia too!! Thank you for that resource!

 

[NatJ]

I intend to feed my veggie/greens/friut scraps to my chickens, but I would like to maintain balance as best I can, the majority of the time. Do you start with small servings, and work up to a whole cabbage (one example)? Or just go full in on a whole cabbage and see what happens?

I know if I ate a whole cabbage in one sitting, I would likely "not be in balance."

If you want to offer a whole cabbage, I would offer a whole cabbage and watch.

Unless you have a really enormous flock, they will not eat that whole cabbage all at once.
They will eat some, and go do other things, and the whole cabbage may actually last for several days.
Even when the cabbage is "gone," it may not all be inside the chickens. Some parts may get ripped off, then dropped in the bedding and forgotten.

If chickens have something available constantly, they will self-regulate their consumption. This works for oyster shell, for a complete feed, for a large grassy lawn, and so forth.
That self-regulation may not be at the perfect level, but it will usually be a level that avoids obvious problems.

 

[Alagirl]

I think cabbage and lettuce is mostly water and can sometimes cause loss of fluid with them pooping more because they have more water in their system. For 7 birds I'd probably only give them a half of one anyway. A whole one seems like a lot.

I mean I understand that animals can get the runs from gorging themselves on moisture-rich foods, like fresh grass in spring (never mind other ailments) but - aside from iceberg lettuce - leafy greens are not that 'soggy'
Plus animals then tend to reduce their fluid intake. So feeding fresh veggies helps to keep them hydrated.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I think cabbage and lettuce is mostly water and can sometimes cause loss of fluid with them pooping more because they have more water in their system. For 7 birds I'd probably only give them a half of one anyway. A whole one seems like a lot.

Beleive it or not, a cabbage is much more like an apple or a carrot than a watermelon or a honeydew. The 10% thumb rule is a good fit here. Also, cabbages are cruciferous veggies. Cruciferous (cross-like, a reference to the leaves, I believe. I've a black thumb, gardening isn't my passion) veggies are high in sulpher containing compounds and also oxalates, which have anti-nutritional factors.

I'll sometimes hang a cabbage for my goats, who can deal with it much better, but I'm not a big fan of cabbages for chickens - however entertaining they may find it. (they do get bits the goats knock free or otherwise miss.

Recommend both moderation in portion and rarity in frequency.

 

[3KillerBs]

It's very different to toss a whole, tired cabbage to 20-40 birds than to 6-8 birds.

*Personally* I don't feed people food to animals. If my birds are getting a cabbage it's because it's too wilted even for cooking or riddled with cabbage worm damage. They get trimmings and peelings rather than entire vegetables.

 

[townchicks]

Wow.
This post got really scientific and complicated, which, as a scientist, I appreciate... . Having a complicated scientific mind is likely the cause of my overthinking this to begin with.

I believe I am feeding a really well balanced and nutritious feed to my flock. I am not worried about that. My chicks (first flock) are only about 7 weeks old, and honestly have only had small amounts of "treats" thus far - mostly just for "recall training." Nothing seems out of balance, and the girls are doing just fine.

Now that I have read through a variety of responses here, I guess what I would ask is this...

I intend to feed my veggie/greens/friut scraps to my chickens, but I would like to maintain balance as best I can, the majority of the time. Do you start with small servings, and work up to a whole cabbage (one example)? Or just go full in on a whole cabbage and see what happens?

I know if I ate a whole cabbage in one sitting, I would likely "not be in balance." So without much chicken experience thus far, I just dont know how to begin introducing "treats" without completely disrupting the balance.

Overthinking myself to the grave, and not apologizing for it, hahaha...

Since your chickens are still very young, I think it would be wise to introduce new foods in very small amounts. Baby gastrointestinal tracts are easily upset, and need to adjust gradually. Maybe start by hanging one cabbage leaf up or small amounts of various veggies, maybe once or twice a week.

 

[Ppastran]

Welcome to the world of sweeping generalisations.
It seems to be based on the assumption that ordinary feed is going to be layers pellets/flock raiser/chick feed etc. The thing you need to notice is the word "commercial" is missing.
So there's your first clue. Chicken feed isn't quite so chicken feed when it comes to the money; money for web sites, blogs and of course the feed manufacturers.
Don't get me wrong. I buy commercial feed. I've fed commercial feed at one point or another to every chicken I've known. It's very convenient and probably works out cheaper and better for chickens than trying to make your own balanced feed.

Next you have to interpret that treat word. If you fed your chickens 50% caviar and 50% commercial feed they will probably do just fine even if they did start speaking Russian...well, we wouldn't want to feed them any of that sub standard caviar from anywhere else now would we.

On this site it seems treat foods are cracked corn, mealy worms and the high carb, fat, sugar and salt stuff some humans are so fond of.

Of course not everyone in the world does feed their chickens commercial feed but they seem to live. Some may say yes but they aren't getting optimal nutrition and are likely to suffer from health issues. Depends really doesn't it? It depends on what they get fed.
Stuff like salad, most fruits and veg are fine in the same relative quantities a human with some knowledge of healthy eating might eat.

Then there is the complex issue of the type of chickens you keep and how you keep them. If you keep free rangers you can wave that 10% goodbye and ime another 30% to 40% with it.

High production breeds are going to require more of some nutrients than a hen that lays say 100 eggs a year.

Let me give an alternative method of workiing out what to feed your chicken.
Find out what your weight should be for your height and build. Now go and stand on a set of scales. If you are more than 5% above the recommended weight for your build then feed your chickens the commercial feed and try and work out what 10% of their daily feed intake is.
If your about right on the scales you probably know what types of treats are bad for your chickens and engage the brain with that knowledge for another omnivor who if female has special calcium requirements.

Maybe this is a dumb question, but asking anyway because I am a newbie.

I have read SO MANY THINGS about what to feed my chickens, however vast majority says to make sure the "treats" you give your chickens does not exceed 10% of their overall diet for any given day. Yet, in so many posts, I see lots of people with seemingly small flocks offering whole cabbages, whole watermelons, large trays of salad materials and fruit etc etc etc... So it just seems contradictory?

Do veggies/fruit/sprouts/cabbage/lettuce etc not count as "treats?"

I think of treats like blueberries, strawberries, bananas, grapes, tomatoes and cucumbers, bread, which my chicks love. So food never wasted. If fruits get too ripe for human consumption, I give in small pieces to my chicks.

 

[DavidReaves]

I think of treats like blueberries, strawberries, bananas, grapes, tomatoes and cucumbers, bread, which my chicks love. So food never wasted. If fruits get too ripe for human consumption, I give in small pieces to my chicks.

I think the key for me is "small pieces" and small amounts. A few slices of banana can fill a small chick and keep them from eating the more balanced nutritional feed that they need. Only little bits at a time for me.

 

[NanaK]

Also, cabbages are cruciferous veggies. Cruciferous (cross-like, a reference to the leaves, I believe. I've a black thumb, gardening isn't my passion) veggies are high in sulpher containing compounds and also oxalates, which have anti-nutritional factors.

Yes, cruciferous veggies may have some anti-nutritional factors but they also have many benefits. Gardening is one of my passions!

"Studies in animals and experiments with cells grown in the laboratory have identified several potential ways in which these compounds may help prevent cancer: They help protect cells from DNA damage. They help inactivate carcinogens. They have antiviral and antibacterial effects."

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer...ents,have antiviral and antibacterial effects.